A dripping faucet wastes a cup of water if it drips for three minutes. The amount of water wasted varies directly with the amount of time the faucet drips. How long will it take for the faucet to waste 4 1/2 cups of water?

Solution:

The time the faucet drips: t min

The amount of water wasted: N cups

The formula is

N = K*t

When t = 3 min, N = 1 cup, so K = 1/3

When N = 4 1/2 cups, t = 13.5

So it takes 13.5 min to waste 4 1/2 cups of water